Time To Lead, Mr. Mayor

Just a few weeks ago, Mayor Bill de Blasio was riding a wave of popularity on the promise of change in the way the City was run. That wave has started to sputter, as poll numbers suggest.

While Mayor de Blasio talked a good game while he was campaigning for the position, we feel he is stuck in campaign mode. After he was sworn in, he continued to campaign to ensure Melissa Mark-Viverito was named City Council Speaker. After he won that election, he moved on to campaign for other policies he sees as priorities, including Universal Pre-K and his Vision Zero pedestrian initiatives. Meanwhile, several key posts within his administration are still vacant and he seems to lack direction when it comes to other issues many may find important. Healthcare, the City’s economy and affordable housing are all issues that require immediate attention.

The Mayor has repeatedly touted the overwhelming support he received in the Nov. 5 election as a mandate to lead. But as his approval rating continues to slip, it is important to note that his large margin of victory came in an election that saw the lowest voter turnout in decades.

As we approach the end of Mayor de Blasio’s first 100 days in office, we hope that he comes to an understanding that he needs to manage a bureaucracy rather than campaign each day. The Mayor has a City Council Speaker willing to push his agenda and a City Council that no doubt will follow suit. New York City needs someone who is ready to lead, to get down to business and govern. We have faith in the Mayor de Blasio’s vision. It’s time to divert that vision towards governing.